


Bringing it together

by Earthgirl94



Category: Mass Effect, Shega - Fandom
Genre: A/U, Canon-Typical Violence, Earthborn, F/M, Romance, Tenth Street Reds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-09
Packaged: 2018-02-16 09:17:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2264184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthgirl94/pseuds/Earthgirl94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story details Isabella Shepard’s life as she grows up on the streets of Earth, joins the Alliance and fights to save the galaxy. James Vega/ Female Shepard. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Twins Sally and Harry crept down the alley. They were among many of the youngsters who lived in the streets of San Diego. Many were associated with the drug lords who gangs who ruled the streets, but a determined few ran for themselves, living off petty crime. Sally and Harry had travelled down several years before from Ottawa in Canada and joined up with another three teenagers; Lucas, Alejandro and Nicole, who were now 17, 19 and 16 respectively. Sally and Harry were 19. The other three were all from San Diego themselves. They had made themselves a home in an abandoned warehouse down on the docks.  
As they made their way down the alley, they heard a mewling. ‘What’s that?’ Sally asked.  
‘Probably just a cat.’ Harry replied, crouching down to search though a discarded crate.  
‘It doesn’t sound like a cat.’ Sally pointed out. She began to search through the bins to find the source of the noise. ‘Oh my God!’ Sally opened a crate at the far end of the alley.  
‘What is it?’ Harry asked.  
‘A baby.’ Sally crouched down and lifted the small child from her resting place. She still had the hospital tag around her right wrist.  
‘Who would leave a baby out here?’ Harry asked.  
‘Who knows?’ Sally replied as the girl grasped one of her fingers. ‘Aw, isn’t she cute.’  
‘Come on Sal, leave her.’  
‘We can’t.’  
‘Fine, then we’ll drop her off at the police station.’

The twins tried to do just that, unfortunately the police knew that the two were on the streets, and refused to believe that they had just found the girl in an alley and threw them out of the station. The name on her hospital tag said Isabella Doe, a sign that they didn’t know her last name. ‘What are we going to do with her?’ Harry asked.  
‘We’re going to have to look after her ourselves.’ Sally replied.  
‘What do you know about raising a child?’ Harry questioned her.  
‘We’ll work it out. Come on.’ Sally tucked Isabella securely into her arms, before the two headed back home.  
  
Lucas, Alejandro and Nicole were all sceptical at first about the baby, but her wide blue eyes and stunning smile quickly won them over. Nicole and Sally were mostly responsible for the girl. At first it was difficult, but they were willing to learn. Isabella grew into an intelligent young girl. She had jet black hair, blue eyes and tanned skin. At first the girls were hesitant at letting her get involved in crime, but when Sally fell ill, they had no choice. Isabella was small, so she could slip into buildings through small windows. They also discovered that she was biotically talented, this could explain why she was dumped, many people were distrustful of biotics, and their high metabolism made them expensive to feed.  
When she was eight Isabella’s whole world was torn apart. She was returning from a job with Alejandro and Harry. Harry was carrying Isabella, asleep, on his back. It was late, Alejandro had bag on his back, carrying supplies for the group.  
A few blocks from their warehouse they were accosted by some of the local gang member, the Tenth Street Reds. ‘Well, well, well. Look who’ve we’ve got here boys.’ One of the boys stated.  
Alejandro and Harry tensed, waking Isabella. ‘What do you want?’ Alejandro demanded.  
‘The girl.’  
‘What?’ Harry’s grip on Isabella tightened.  
‘We know about her talents. We want her in our gang.’  
‘That’s not going to happen.’ Alejandro told them.  
The leader grinned and raised his hand to his ear. ‘Blow it.’ He ordered.  
An explosion rocked the area, as the warehouse the group lived in exploded. All three stared in horror. ‘Why, why would you do that?’ Alejandro snarled.  
‘We always get what we want. Now hand the girl over.’  
‘No chance.’  
‘Fine then.’ The leader motioned to two of his henchmen, who drew guns. ‘Hand her over, or we’ll kill you.’  
‘No wait!’ Isabella’s small voice sounded. ‘I’ll go with them.’  
‘Issy, you can’t.’ Harry argued.  
‘I don’t want you to die for me.’ Isabella slipped down from Harry’s back. ‘I’ll be okay.’ She squeezed his hand.  
Harry and Alejandro crouched down in front of her. ‘You’re very brave Issy. You’ll go a long way.’ Isabella flung her arms around the two young men. ‘Be careful kid.’

The Tenth Street Reds quickly changed Isabella’s appearance. They gave her new clothes and tattooed her right shoulder with the gang tattoo, but they also sent her to a local school, where many of their child gang members went, in order to improve her education and better benefit the gang. She never saw Alejandro and Harry after that. The gang leader, Juan Garcia, took a particular shine to her. He had few biotics in his gang and none as strong as Isabella. Isabella quickly proved herself to the gang, she knew that if she didn’t she would be killed. She was quick and small, and a lot of people didn’t suspect her, she kept her tattoo hidden when she wasn’t with the gang. The gang had implanted her with an advanced biotic implant to help her control her biotics.  
Isabella was involved drug smuggling, theft, blackmail and assaults. She remained small for her age, meaning she could still get into places no one else could, and she was very good at distracting people, but she did not enjoy her job. She didn’t like hurting people, but she did it to survive. No one at her school suspected her life outside the school gates and she made friends easily. Juan attended any parent teacher evenings, pretending to be her uncle.

At age ten Isabella made her first kill. She’d been on a drug run between the port and a client’s house when she was intercepted by a member of another gang. She was alone as her usual partner, a fifteen year old boy called Sebastian, was injured from a previous job. ‘Hand it over little girl.’ The other gang member held his hand out for the package.  
‘No chance.’ She pulled her jacket closer around her body.  
‘Come on kid, don’t make this anymore difficult.’ He stepped towards her.  
Isabella clenched her first, allowing a blue energy to flicker over her hand. ‘Just walk away; this is your only chance.’  
The gang member laughed. ‘No.’ He pulled a gun from his jacket, but didn’t get a chance to use it. Isabella had thrown her hand forward, tossing the man through the air and into the alley wall. There was a crack as his neck broke and he slumped to the ground. Isabella didn’t wait, she bolted from the alley. She quickly delivered the package and ran all the way back to the Red’s base. Out of breath and terrified she explained what had happened to Juan. He simply patted her shoulder and told her that he expected it to happen sooner or later.

Over the next few years Isabella’s reputation within the gang grew. Juan called on her more and more to carry out punishments. Her biotic punches had grown in strength and could be extremely painful. She was trusted to go on more high risk missions.  
By the time she started high school Isabella was one of the most trusted members of the gang. She’d had never swayed from her duty to the gang and knew her way around the city like the back of her hand.  
For all important milestones of her time in the gang Isabella had gained a tattoo. Both her shoulders were extensively tattooed. Most were some sort of variation of the gang tattoo, but two were stars.  
One rule Juan gave her when joined the local high school was that she could not get involved in a relationship without his express permission. And she was not allowed to be involved with anyone affiliated with someone who was related to any rival gangs, or relatives of their clients  
It was at high school she would also meet someone who would become the most important person in her life; James Vega.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Like Isabella James Vega was San Diego born and raised. He was the same age as her. She was attracted to him from the beginning, the only problem; his uncle was in the Alliance and his father was associated with the local drug lords.  
The two met on their first day at their local high school. They shared many of the same classes. James had come over and introduced himself during their lunch break. 'Hiya, I'm James Sanders-Vega.'  
'Isabella Garcia.' Isabella shook his extended hand.  
'You from around here?' He asked as they took a seat at a table.  
'Yeah, you?' Isabella poked at the food on her tray, it didn't look very appetising.  
'Yup San Diego born and bred.' The two fell into silence as they ate their food though Isabella could feel James watching her.

Isabella scuffed her worn trainers on the pavement as she made her way to the bus stop that would take her towards the Red's base. 'Hey, wait up.' James called to her.  
'Oh, hey James.' Isabella shifted her bag on her shoulder. 'What are you doing on this route?'  
'Catching the bus, same as you I guess.'  
'Guess so.' She ducked her head, she knew if the Red's caught her with James then she would be in trouble.  
'Something wrong?' James asked her.  
Isabella shook her head. 'Nope.' She hesitated before speaking again. 'Look, James, you seem like a real nice guy, but it's better if we're not friends.'  
James caught her arm. 'What?'  
Isabella pulled her arm free. 'It's not healthy to be my friend. Just leave me alone.'  
James stepped in front of her. 'What do you mean?'  
'That's none of your business.'  
'Lola, look I don't care what you think; I've seen some pretty bad stuff. That doesn't scare me.'  
'Your funeral. Fine, looks like I can't change your mind.' The pair began to walk again. She then realised what else he'd said. 'Lola?' She asked.  
'You kinda look like a Lola.'  
'If you say so.'

Isabella got off the bus before James. She hoped that none of the Reds would pick up on her new friendship. She walked the two blocks from the bus stop to the Reds' base. From the outside it looked like any regular office block and the foyer was very similar, but as soon as one stepped out of the foyer you would step into a whole other world. Juan's office was in the basement, which was also where he and the other homeless Reds had their rooms. Everything above ground was dedicated to training the Reds and their smuggling business.  
Isabella stepped into the building and crossed the foyer. The foyer was full of people, some had business with the Red's, others had been called here to be 'taken care of' but didn't know what they were there for, and still others had mistaken the building for a legitimate business. The young woman at the reception desk nodded politely to Isabella as she passed. The young girl headed down to her room. She passed several Reds, all of whom knew her. Juan had given all of the Reds a strict warning when they joined that Isabella was to be treated with respect, and anyone who was caught messing with her would have to answer to him.  
In her room Isabella changed from her school clothes into her Red's 'Uniform'. This consisted of a dark red vest top, leather jacket, black jeans and black combat boots. She tied her hair up into a high ponytail, strapped a pistol to her hip and tucked a knife into her boot, before heading to Juan's office.  
In Juan' office two other gang members, Adrian and Philippe, were waiting to be briefed. As usual the briefing was short and to the point. One of the black market dealers the Reds supplied had double crossed them. It was their job to find out why he had done so, and to get the proper payment.

James and his uncle, Emilio, were strolling down by the docks. 'So how's the new school?' Emilio asked.  
'Good.' James replied. 'I met a girl there.'  
'Oh?'  
'Yeah, Isabella Garcia. Bit strange though. She warned me not to be her friend. Bit loco, if you ask me.' James replied.  
'James the name Garcia scares people around here.' Emilio told him gently.  
'Why?' James asked, curious.  
'Juan Garcia is ruthless and powerful. He's the leader of the Tenth Street Reds. Be careful with this girl James, she could be his daughter.'  
'I don't think so.' James told him. 'She said she lived with her uncle or something like that.'  
'Just be careful James, who knows what she's involved in.'

Isabella was ready to collapse when she and the others returned to the base that evening. The dealer had been hard to get to and even harder to get what they needed out of him. Isabella had been forced to break his knee with a biotic punch in order for them to get the payment. Isabella hated hurting people. When she was younger Alejandro had taught her that causing pain and suffering was not the way to get what you wanted. Isabella just hoped she'd never have to hurt James.

As the months passed James and Isabella grew closer. At school they were inseparable. There was an attraction between them, but they didn't act upon it. At school Isabella was careful to keep away from two senior boys who were also members of the gang. Luckily they didn't catch the bus home with her; they would go straight to work from school. James did begin to notice that Isabella rarely seemed fully awake when she arrived at school. She had bags under her eyes and she even fell asleep a couple of times. He also noticed the bruises that she gained on her arms. About three months after they had first met James invited Isabella back to his place for a couple of hours. At first she was hesitant, but after much persuasion she agreed. She told Juan that she was going to a study group and he believed her. This quickly became a weekly occurrence.  
They would go to James' apartment, which he shared with his parents, where they would work on their homework. Isabella didn't meet James' father at first, James said that his father wasn't home much. She did meet his mother, María, Emilio's sister. María told James that she liked Isabella, that she was a nice, gentle girl. James didn't tell her Emilio's suspicions that she was a member of the Tenth Street Reds.  
Isabella and James would lounge around in his room, working on their work and playing video games, continuously challenging each other. It was these times that Isabella felt truly herself. It was the only time she was ever able to be a young person, her life in the gang could not give her that.

Two more months passed and Isabella continued to go to James’ place once a week. It was now that James made a proposition to Isabella. ‘Why don’t you leave the gang?’  
Isabella looked up sharply. ‘What makes you think I’m in a gang?’  
‘Come on Lola, it’s not hard to guess. Mi tío knows of Juan Garcia, and I caught a glimpse of your tattoos the other day.’  
Isabella sighed. ‘It’s not that easy James, I wish it was.’  
James sat down next to her. ‘Why not?’  
‘I wasn’t always with the Reds. I used to be with another group, they weren’t a gang, but they were criminals. We had to be to survive. They found me when I was a baby and raised me. When I was eight the Reds killed all but two of them. The only reason those two survived was that I gave myself up to the Reds. I can’t leave the gang without hurting those I’m close to. That means you James.’  
‘Iss, I can look after myself. And mi tío is ex-alliance. You’ll be safe if you do decide to leave.’  
‘James, please just drop it. Like I said it’s not that easy.’ She got up and grabbed her bag. ‘Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Isabella left James’ apartment, shaken. She’d never expected James to ask such a question, and it left her wondering if she could leave the gang. She hated the things she had to do for the gang, but she didn’t want anyone else to get hurt for her.


End file.
